Fighting Cancer in the Heart of Carolina
Cancer touches millions of lives each year, young and old, and can test even the strongest of individuals and families.
But those facing cancer have a strong ally right in the heart of North Carolina: the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at UNC-Chapel Hill.
In the battle against cancer, few research institutions in the United States can match the Lineberger Center’s track record of excellence. Located on UNC’s medical campus, the Center brings together some of the most exceptional physicians and scientists in the country to investigate and improve the prevention, early detection, and treatment of cancer.
Established in 1975, the Center is named after the Lineberger family of Belmont, N.C. The family’s generosity formed the backbone of support for the creation of the Center.
The Lineberger Center received official designation as a cancer center from the National Cancer Institute in 1990. A classification awarded to only forty comprehensive cancer centers nationwide, the Lineberger Center is the only public comprehensive cancer center in North Carolina to have this designation.
Lineberger’s staff members — 1,120 in total — come from more than 40 departments across the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, including the Gillings School of Global Public Health, the Eshelman School of Pharmacy, the School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, the School of Dentistry, and the College of Arts and Sciences.
Pope Foundation gift
The John William Pope Foundation was honored to give a $1.3 million gift to the Lineberger Center in 2014.
John William Pope was a long-time supporter of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, including UNC Memorial Hospital. He particularly desired that the Pope Foundation help the fight against cancer in way that would have an impact and benefit for North Carolina.
Most of the Pope Foundation’s gift — $1 million — funded the John William Pope Distinguished Professorship in Cancer Research. The professorship is presented in honor of Dr. Thomas Shea, Director of the UNC Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplantation Program and UNC Lineberger Associate Director of Clinical Outreach.
The remaining $300,000 created the John William Pope Clinical Fellow Awards Program. The endowment will annually fund three scholars who are pursuing research into cancer.
“My father was passionate about giving to both cancer treatment and research, and that’s exactly what this professorship does,” said Art Pope, Chairman and President of the John William Pope Foundation. “He was very clear that he wanted any investment we made to stay in North Carolina. This is the kind of project he would have wanted.”
Distinguished professorship
Because research and salary expenses have increased so dramatically in recent years, medical institutions have turned to the concept of endowed chairs to bridge the gap between available funding and the needs of their top faculty.
“I am humbled that the Pope Family chose to make such a significant gift in my honor,” Shea said. “A new professorship provides critical support for our faculty and lays the groundwork for important next steps in our transplant and blood cancer research initiatives.”
Clinical fellows
The support for clinical fellows will fund annual awards to the three most outstanding scholars judged by the faculty on the basis of their extraordinary clinical or translational cancer research during their post-graduate clinical training.
“This is a very meaningful gift because it’s hard to find support for people at this early stage of their careers,” said Dr. Norman Sharpless, Executive Director of the Lineberger Center. “Funds to help support trainees through a period of their career until they’re fully independent scientists and clinical researchers is very important. I’m very excited about this support.”
Leaving a legacy
Just as John William Pope left a lasting legacy of generosity to others, the Lineberger Center wants to impact lives for decades to come.
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